The team headed by L&S is also proposing the French Trajan 155mm/52 CAL gun to the Indian Army. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

Nexter’s CAESAR self propelled gun displayed at the company’s exhibit at Eurosatory 2014 last week in Paris. The 155mm 52 CAL howitzer mounted on an Indian Super Stalion 6×6 Ashok Leyland truck is proposed to the Indian Army Mobile Gun System (MGS) program by an industry team headed by Larsen & Turbo. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

Nexter Systems announced today the establishment of an industry consortium with two Indian companies, to pursue the Indian Army Mounted Gun System (MGS) artillery program.

The French defense company Nexter Systems has established an industry consortium with Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) and Ashok Leyland Defence Systems, eying collaboration opportunities for the Mounted Gun System (MGS) artillery program. The group, lead by Larsen & Toubro (L&S) offer a version of the Caesar truck-mounted mobile gun system for the Indian Army.

The artillery system proposed for the MGS programme by the consortium led by L&T acting as prime contractor is a version of the CAESAR artillery system fitted onto a 6×6 Super Stallion chassis from Ashok Leyland. Unveiled for the first time at the DEFEXPO show in New Delhi in February 2014, the Indian version of the CAESAR was also on display this week at the Nexter stand at Eurosatory 2014. Nexter and L&T are already teaming for the Towed Gun System programme of the Indian ministry of defence, by proposing the TRAJAN which is under evaluation in India.

On this program Nexter is competing against several international teams, including Elbit Systems, cooperating with Force Dynamics of the Kalyani Group, offering the ATMOS system. Other bidders include the Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division (SED), offering a derivative of the G5 from Denel Land Systems of the South Africa.

L&S, the Indian a USD 14.3 billion technology, engineering, construction, manufacturing and financial services conglomerate was originally planning to offer the K9 Thunder self propelled gun from Samsung Techwin of South Korea, but has opted to lead the team offering the Caesar instead. Ashok Leyland is an Indian based automotive manufacturer specialized in trucks. The company has produced over 70,000 Stallion vehicles, the primary logistical support vehicle supporting the Indian military.

The team headed by L&S is also proposing the French Trajan 155mm/52 CAL gun to the Indian Army. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-UpdateATMOS, the 155mm /52Cal howitzer from Elbit System’s Soltam is one of the largest vehicles displayed in Hall 6 at Eurosatory. this variant of the ATMOS is mounted on a Czech TATRA truck. Utilizing autonomous navigation and gun laying systems, and fitted with robotic gun laying and load assist mechanism, the howitzer can fire quickly after entering position, operated by a small crew. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update